Executive summary
In July 2025, the Government announced funding of £53 million pounds for the roll-out of the evidence-based Drive Project across England and Wales.
The project is part of the Government’s commitment to tackling perpetrators of domestic abuse. Cleveland is in Phase One roll out.
As detailed in DRF 2025/2026 – 0031, the Drive Project is an evaluated and evidence-based, multi-agency case management approach. It is designed for high-risk, high-harm, serial domestic abuse perpetrators.
Multi-agency Engagement
Drive uses multi-agency engagement to undertake intensive monitoring, disruption tactics and behavioural interventions. This is to stop perpetrators re-offending and to keep victims (and their children) safe.
Perpetrators eligible for the Drive Project will have a dedicated case manager who will work to address their behaviour.
Case managers work one-to-one with perpetrators for up to 12 months, challenging the beliefs and behaviours, which contribute towards perpetrators’ abuse. Case managers also work in partnership with other services to remove opportunities for abuse. These services can include the police, social services, and charities working in the community.
IDVA support and advocacy to support victim safety and inform perpetrator risk management, is a critical part of the Drive Project Delivery.
Local Partners
Discussions with the Drive Partnership and local Drive Project mobilisation partners took place.
As a result, it is proposed that IDVA provision for Drive victim cases will be delivered by the current commissioned IDVA service providers in each of Cleveland’s local authority areas. This is to ensure victim support pathways continue without disruption.
Following a review of projected demand for IDVA provision by locality, it is proposed that Harbour – covering three of the four local authority areas in Cleveland (Redcar & Cleveland, Stockton and Hartlepool)- receives 65% of the budget allocated for Drive IDVA provision. In addition, My Sister’s Place should receive 35% of the budget for provision in Middlesbrough. This will align with the projected demand across Cleveland.
Funding allocated to each provider will ensure a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) within each service. They will be able to communicate with the Cleveland Drive Project Perpetrator Panel and, Cranstoun case managers working with perpetrators referred to Cleveland Drive Project.
Each service will manage the allocation of IDVA support for victims of Drive Project cases as per existing arrangements for IDVA provision.
The Drive Project IDVA SPOC will coordinate any Cleveland Drive Project related IDVA activity. They will also act as the SPOC for all relevant communication and contact required of the Drive Project.
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner have discussed this proposal with both IDVA service providers, the Drive Partnership mobilisation team and the PCC on 7th May 2026 and have collective agreement for this approach to the Drive project in Cleveland.
It is proposed that the IDVA provision for the Drive project starts on 1st June 2026 and runs until 31st March 2027. This will be 10 months, detailed as follows:
2026/27 IDVA DRIVE Budget – £77,345
Harbour Support Services – £50,274.25
My Sister’s Place – £27,070.75
There is potential for funding for an additional 12 months in 2027/28 subject to Home Office confirmation.
Decision 2026/27 – 003: Cleveland DRIVE Project (application, 160kB)